Hawks Coach lending Devo a hand for Jamaican baseball camp
2016-07-12
The inaugural Devon White Baseball Academy in Jamaica
How does a Newmarket Hawks coach end up in Jamaica helping out Blue Jays legend Devon White at his inaugural baseball academy? Read on to find out...
With three kids currently playing rep ball for various Hawks teams, Dave Repath is no stranger to baseball in Newmarket. Dave has also served as an assistant coach on the 2013 Major Rookie AA Hawks (OBA finalists), head coach of the 2014 Minor Mosquito AA Hawks (where he was named YSBA's Rep Coach of the Year), and head coach of the 2015 Major Mosquito AA Hawks (40th Annual Silver Bat champions). He is currently an assistant for the 2016 Minor Peewee AA Hawks.
Last fall Dave was invited by a friend to join him at the Toronto Blue Jays Fantasy Camp in Dunedin, Florida. That experience by itself was incredible for Dave, but the icing on the cake was the close friendships Dave made with several Blue Jays players from their World Series teams, especially Devon "Devo" White.
Devo asked Dave to volunteer as a guest instructor at the inaugural Devon White Baseball Academy in June in Mandeville, Jamaica. Devo was born in Jamaica before he and his family moved to the U.S. when Devo was 9 years old. Over 50 kids aged 10-14 participated in the inaugural academy.
Last fall Dave was invited by a friend to join him at the Toronto Blue Jays Fantasy Camp in Dunedin, Florida. That experience by itself was incredible for Dave, but the icing on the cake was the close friendships Dave made with several Blue Jays players from their World Series teams, especially Devon "Devo" White.
Devo asked Dave to volunteer as a guest instructor at the inaugural Devon White Baseball Academy in June in Mandeville, Jamaica. Devo was born in Jamaica before he and his family moved to the U.S. when Devo was 9 years old. Over 50 kids aged 10-14 participated in the inaugural academy.
Jamaica is far from a baseball hotbed. Most kids have never touched a glove or bat or ball before as their focus is on the more popular national sports of track, soccer, and cricket. Devo hopes to grow the great game of baseball in his home country and therefore provide more opportunities for young Jamaican athletes.
A second academy will be hosted in December of this year. After seeing the local kids have virtually no baseball gear, Dave will be happy to collect any Hawks jerseys (Rep, Select, and/or House League) and used equipment after our season ends to donate to the academy.
Please contact Dave at drepath@bellnet.ca for more information.